Tool arrangement for binding an object, in particular a cable harness

ABSTRACT

Tool arrangement for binding an object, in particular a cable harness, by means of a band ( 8 ), the ends of which are guided through a lock ( 6 ), for which there is provided in the tool a lock mount ( 2 ) which is provided with a sensor ( 15 ) for establishing the presence of a lock ( 6 ). According to the invention, the same sensor is also designed for establishing the presence of a band end ( 12 ) in the lock. It expediently interacts with an associated detent ( 9 ) rather than directly with the band end ( 12 ). It may have different steps ( 30, 31 ) for interacting with the detent ( 9 ) and the lock ( 6 ).

[0001] In order to bind cable harnesses and other objects, use is madeof plastic binders which are tied around the object which is to bebound, the ends of said binders being secured by means of a lock. It isknown to do this with largely automatically operating tools which, ontheir end side, have a mount for a lock and comprise devices guiding theband around the object which is to be bound, and back into the lock(brochure entitled “Automatische Bündel- und VerschluBwerkzeuge[Automatic Bundling and Closure Tools] Auto Tool/Tyton Tool” from PaulHellermann GmbH, Pinneberg). Since the tool must only be set inoperation when a lock is located correctly in the lock mount, it isknown to provide the tool with a sensor which establishes the presenceof a lock in the lock mount. In another context (EP-B297 337), it isalso known to provide in the tool a sensor which establishes that thefree band end has passed into the lock, in order that the operations oftensioning and cutting off the band can then be carried out.

[0002] If it is desired to establish both that a lock is present andthat the band end has passed in, it would be necessary, in a developmentof this prior art, to provide two sensors, of which one checks thepresence of the lock and the other checks the presence of the band. Thisinvolves high outlay, especially since a large number of differentfunctional parts have to be accommodated in the vicinity of the lockmount. Space is thus tight and parts may interfere with one another. Theinvention provides a relatively straightforward and operationallyreliable solution according to claim 1. Provision is accordingly madefor a sensor which is designed for establishing the presence of a lockalso to sense the presence of the band. For this purpose, in addition toa first sensing position, which it assumes when there is no lock in thelock mount, and a second sensing position, which is assigned to thepresence of a lock, it has a third sensing position, which correspondsto the presence of a band.

[0003] If the type of lock is one which contains at least one detent forsecuring the band end which is to be checked, said detent beingdeflected out of a rest position in the presence of the band, it isexpedient to allow the sensor to interact with the detent.

[0004] It would be sufficient here merely for the detent to be sensed,in order to establish both the presence of the lock and the deflectionof the detent in the presence of a band. It is more expedient, however,if, in addition to a part which senses the band and/or the detent, thesensor has a part which senses the lock body, because, depending on thelock design, the position of the detent in its rest position in theabsence of a band is not determined as precisely as that of the lockbody. For this purpose, the sensor may be of multi-step design, a firststep interacting with the detent and a second step interacting with alock-body part.

[0005] The direction of the sensing movement of the sensor expedientlycoincides approximately with the direction in which the lock is to beintroduced into the lock mount. This applies at least in respect of themovement direction in which the sensor moves from the first into thesecond sensing position. Furthermore, the direction of the sensormovement between its second and its third second sensing position shouldcorrespond approximately to the direction in which the detent movesduring introduction of the band. The arrangement is at its moststraightforward when the two directions approximately coincide, themovement direction of the sensor advantageously coinciding with thelongitudinal direction of the latter because the guiding device may thenbe of particularly straightforward design. For reasons of space, thisdirection expediently runs approximately parallel to the end of thetool.

[0006] In order that the sensor can engage in the lock approximately inthe direction of the detent movement, a through-passage is expedientlyprovided for it in the lock.

[0007] In order for the lock always to be in the same position in thelock mount, a fixing clip is expediently provided, or more than onefixing clip is provided, for the lock in the lock mount.

[0008] The invention is explained in more detail hereinbelow withreference to the drawing, which illustrates an advantageous exemplaryembodiment and in which:

[0009] FIGS. 1 to 3 show a partial section through the lock mount andadjacent parts of the tool at different functional stages, and

[0010]FIG. 4 shows a side view of the lock in a direction transverse tothe illustration in FIG. 2.

[0011] The parts illustrated belong to a tool as is described in theapplication which has been filed simultaneously and has the officialfile reference HELT038PEP. A tool mount 2 is located in the end 1 of thetool and is bounded by rigid housing surfaces 3 and walls 4 locatedparallel to the plane of the drawing, it being possible for said wallsto be provided with a pair of clips 5 in order to secure the lock in themount. The lock 6 is fed in arrow direction 14 through a lock channel,which opens out in the lock mount at 13.

[0012] The lock 6 has a band opening 7 for the passage of a band 8, twodetents 9 projecting into said opening. The band-passage opening 7 runstransversely to the end 1 of the tool. The tool contains guiding andadvancement devices (not illustrated) which push the band 8, in thedirection of the arrow 10, first of all through the lock 6. By virtue ofguiding devices (not illustrated), the band is tied, in the manner ofthe lip 11 indicated, around an object which is to be bound. Its leadingend 12 then passes into the lock 6 again in the opposite direction tothe arrow direction. In this case, the detent 9 adjacent to the band end12 is moved out of the rest position (FIG. 1) into a deflected position(FIG. 2).

[0013] To the side of the lock mount 2, parallel to the end 1 of thetool, an elongate sensor 15 is mounted in a longitudnally displaceablemanner between guide surfaces 16. Its front end passes into the lockmount 2 under the action of a spring 17. The foremost position of thesensor 15 is determined by a stop 18.

[0014] The spring 17 acts on the rear end of the sensor 15 via a lever20 which is mounted pivotably on the housing at 19 and the end 21 ofwhich is in operative connection with a sensor push rod 22, which isforced against the lever end 21 by a spring 23 and bears a magnet 24.Arranged alongside the sensor push rod 22 are magnetic switches 25, 26which are actuated by the magnet 24 in dependence on the position of thesensor push rod 22. The magnetic switch 25 responds in the positionaccording to FIG. 2, and the magnetic switch 26 responds in the positionaccording to FIG. 3. If the sensor 15 is located in the positionaccording to FIG. 1, neither of the two switches responds.

[0015] The front end of the sensor 15 is designed with two steps 30, 31.In the absence of a lock 6, the two steps 30, 31 are located within thelock mount. When a lock passes in the direction 14 from the lock channelinto the lock mount 2, the lock 6 acts on the step 31 and forces thesensor back into the position according to FIG. 2. The sensor push rod22 thus passes into the position in which the switch 25 responds. Inthis case, the foremost part of the sensor 15 with the step 30 is notintercepted by the lock because the wall 27 of the latter has, at therelevant location, a cutout 28 through which the step 30 passes. It thuspasses into the immediate vicinity of the detent 9 or into contacttherewith without this changing its position to any significant extent.Although a cutout 28 is only necessary in the wall 27 of the lock whichis directed toward the sensor 15, a corresponding cutout is expedientlyalso located in the opposite wall of the lock, in order that the lattercan be inserted into the tool in any desired direction.

[0016] When, then, the band end 12 passes into the lock 6, the detent 9is forced back, in which case, via the step 30, it also forces back thesensor 15, namely into the position illustrated in FIG. 3, in which theswitch 26 responds.

[0017] Once it has passed into the lock 6, the band end 12 should besecured as flush as possible with the rear lock side. This can takeplace by the advancement of the band being brought to a standstill independence on the response of the switch 26. It is more expedient, andmore precise, to provide a special stop for this purpose. The stopaccording to the invention is the blade 35, which is provided forcutting off the other band end 8. For this purpose, the blade 35projects into the path of the band end 12 without obstructing themovement of the other band end 8. The use of the blade 35 as the stopmerits protection possibly independently of the features of the otherclaims.

[0018] It can be seen in the drawing that the sensor according to theinvention may be accommodated alongside the blade 35 and can also act onparts of the lock and/or of the band at the same time as said bladewithout these parts and the functions thereof interfering with oneanother. The lever end 21 is offset in relation to the plane of thedrawing and to the lever 20, with the result that the lever end 21 canmove past the blade 35.

1. A tool arrangement for binding an object, in particular a cableharness, by means of a band (8), the ends of which are guided through alock (6), for which there is provided in the tool a lock mount (2) whichis provided with a sensor (15) for establishing the presence of a lock(6), said sensor assuming a first sensing position in the absence of alock (6) and a second sensing position in the presence of a lock (6),wherein the sensor (15) assumes a third sensing position when the lock(6) contains a band (12).
 2. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1,wherein the lock (6) contains at least one detent (9) which interactswith the band (12), is deflected out of a rest position in the presenceof the band (12) and is sensed by the sensor (15).
 3. The arrangement asclaimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein, in addition to a part (30) whichsenses the band (12) and/or the detent (9), the sensor (15) has a part(31) which senses the lock (6).
 4. The arrangement as claimed in claim 2or 3, wherein the direction of the sensing movement of the sensor (15)essentially coincides with the direction in which the lock (6) is to beintroduced into the lock mount (2).
 5. The arrangement as claimed inclaim 3 or 4, wherein the sensor (15) is of multi-step design.
 6. Thearrangement as claimed in one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the lock (6) hasa through-passage (28) for the sensor (15).
 7. The arrangement asclaimed in one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the lock mount (2) has fixingclips (5) for the lock (6).
 8. The arrangement as claimed in one ofclaims 1 to 6, wherein a blade (35) provided for cutting off one bandend (8) serves as a stop for the other band end (12).